August 31st 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Thomas Cirilo said on Friday that they are not a part of the preliminary peace agreement signed in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday by South Sudan government and on Thursday by Machar’s SPLM-IO.
The latest stance by NAS enforce shaky the peace agreement would be to implement as many rebel groups including the SPLM-IO led by Machar has rejected and have to sign with reservations.
In a statement issued on Friday nmorning, the National Spokeperson Suba Samuel Manase said they are not part of the deal signed by the interim chairman of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) Changson Lew Chang.
The National Salcation Front (NAS) is a part of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) which also includes eight other South Sudanese armed and non-armed opposition groups fighting the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardiit.
“We want to make it categorically clear as NAS that, though SSOA interim Chairman initialed the agreement on behalf of SSOA, NAS is NOT PART of that initialing exercise; and we have made our position clear to SSOA leadership and to the IGAD,” Samuel said in the statement seen by the Nyamilepedia.
The statement further said the latest round of talks has fallen short of addressing the root cause of the conflict, a major demand by Machar’s SPLM-IO since the beginning of peace talks in January 2014 in Ethiopia.
“We have made our position crystal clear that the Khartoum round of negotiation on governance has fallen short of addressing the root causes of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and this revitalised agreement in its current form is a recipe to more conflict and therefore as people based political organization we shall not betray our people by rewarding them with short term peace,” he said.
The statement then reiterated the NAS commitment to the IGAD led process and will engage the parties especially the government in negotiating a meaningful settlement to the ongoing conflict.
